How Computers Work

Description: Having sold more than 2 million copies over its lifetime, it is the definitive illustrated guide to the world of PCs and technology. In this new edition, you’ll find detailed information not just about PCs, but about how changes in technology have evolved the giant, expensive computer dinosaurs of last century into the smaller but more powerful smartphones, tablets, and wearable computing of today. Whether your interest is in business, gaming, digital photography, entertainment, communications, or security, you’ll learn how computing is evolving the way you live. Only the accomplished and award-winning team of writer has the unique ability to meld descriptive text with one-of-a-kind visuals to fully explain how the electronic gear we depend on every day is made possible. In addition to all the content you’ve come to expect from prior editions, this newly revised edition includes all-new coverage of topics such as: This full-color, fully illustrated guide to the world of technology assumes nothing and explains everything -* How Computers Remember* How a Little Microprocessor Does Big Things* How Multi-Core Processors Work* How Motherboards / Software / Compiler Work* How Databases Track Everything This full-color, fully illustrated guide to the world of technology assumes nothing and explains everything - • How Computers Remember • How a Little Microprocessor Does Big Things • How Multi-Core Processors Work • How Motherboards / Software / Compiler Work • How Databases Track Everything and Make Connections • How Spread sheets (Excel) Solve Formulas • How Numbers Become Pictures • How Imaging Software Paints by Numbers • How Games Created and How Computer Creates 3D World • How Security Software Fights Off Invaders • How Computer Hackers Break In • How Viruses Invade Your Computer • How Antivirus Software Fights Back • How Firewalls Keep Hackers Out and How Spammers Find You • How USB Really Is Universal • How File Compression Makes Files Smaller • How Optical Disc Drives Write with Light • How Computers Get Smaller… and Better • How iPods serves Media • How eInk Puts Words on Your e-reader (KINDLE) • How All These Smart features Got Packed into a Smartphone • How Advanced Cooling Refrigerates Your PC • How Digital Cameras Capture the Moment • How Your Smartphone Knows Where You Are • How Devices Recognize Our Touch (TOUCH SCREEN) • How Optical Character Recognition Works • How an LCD/ Plasma/ DLP/ OLED works • How Your Device Listens • How 3D Audio Surrounds • How Networks Tie Computers Together • How Wi-Fi / Bluetooth works • How the Internet Brings Us the World • How Broadband / DSl/ Cables Brings the Internet to Your Neighbourhood • How Fibre Optics Lights Up the Future • How Computers Make Phone Calls • How Information Travels the Internet • How Movies Flow into Your Home • How Google Knows Everything • How eBay Sells Everything • How Email/ Facebook/ Twitter works • How Internet File Sharing Works • How Bit Torrents / Clouds Works • How Black and White / Colour Printing Works • How a Laser Printer Creates in Color • How Printers Create in 3D and lots more…. This is the perfect book about computing to capture your imagination, delight your eyes, and expand your mind, no matter what your technical level! Beautifully detailed illustrations and jargon-free explanations walk you through the technology that is shaping our lives. See the hidden workings inside computers, smartphones, tablets, Google Glass, and the latest tech inventions. Table Of Contents: Chapter 1: The Ghostly LEGOs of Computing * How Waves Take the Universe on a Joy Ride, How Information Rides the Waves* How Electromagnetism Is the Ghost in the Machine* How We Control Electricity* How Computers Create Our World Using Numbers Chapter 2: How Computers Remember * How a Little Transistor Does Big Jobs* Writing Data to RAM* Reading Data from RAM* How Flash Memory Remembers When the Switch is Off Chapter 3: How a Little Microprocessor Does Big Things * How a Processor Tracks Numbers* How a Processor Does Math* How a Processor Moves Data* How Multi-Core Processors Work* How Desktop CPUs Keep It Complex* How Mobile CPUs Keep It Simple Chapter 4: How Motherboards Conduct a Symphony of Data * How a Motherboard Brings It All Together* How the Chipset Directs Traffic* How PCI-Express Breaks the Bus Barrier Chapter 5: How Words Are Stitched into Programs * How a Program Is a Roadmap* How Software Interpreters Generate Action* How a Compiler Churns Out Software Chapter 6: How Applications Work So You Can Play * How Text SHOUTS and Whispers * How Databases Track Everything* How Databases Pack it In* How Databases Make Connections* How Spreadsheets Solve Formulas* How Numbers Become Pictures* How Art Is Compressed to Save Space* How Imaging Software Paints by Numbers* How Photo Editors Revive Old Memories* How Apps Fuel Mobile Devices Chapter 7: How Games Create New Worlds * How Computers Plot a 3D World* How 3D Gets Dressed* How Shaders Control the World* How Games Populate New Worlds Chapter 8: How Security Software Fights Off Invaders * How Computer Hackers Break In* How Spyware Reports Everything You Do* How Viruses Invade Your Computer* How Viruses Hitch Rides in Your Email** How Antivirus Software Fights Back* How Firewalls Keep Hackers Out* How Spammers Find You* How Antispam Software Sniffs Out Phony Email* How Prime Numbers Protect Prime Secrets Chapter 9: The Origins of Computer DNA * Fossils of the Premobilian Era* Persistent Relics: The Mouse* Persistent Relics: The Keyboard* How the Workaday Floppy Drive Ruled* How the CRT Was the Grande Dame of Displays* How the Impact Printer Was Right on the Spot* The Unlikely Progenitor to the Internet: The Dialup Modem* How Cabling Was Worse: Serial* How Cabling Was Worse: Parallel* How the Power Supply Hasn’t Changed* How the iPhone Made It Slick Chapter 10: How Small Mutations Pay Off Big * How USB Really Is Universal* How Little Bits Add Up to Big Changes* How File Compression Makes Files Smaller* How Solid State Drives Command the Instant* How Solid State Drives Take Out the Trash* How PCs Use Light to Remember* How Optical Disc Drives Write with Light Chapter 11: Honey, I’ve Shrunk the PC... * How Computers Get Smaller… and Better* How iPods Dish Out Media* How eInk Puts Words on Your eReader* How All Those Smarts Got Packed into a Smartphone* How Google Glass Makes Us Cyborgs Chapter 12: Evolution of the Super Computer * How Video Cards Break the Game Barrier* How Overclocking Multiplies Time* How a PC Keeps Its Cool* How Advanced Cooling Refrigerates Your PC* How Jailbreaking Frees Your Devices Chapter 13: How Cameras Capture Memories * How Digital Cameras Capture the Moment* How Autofocus Clears the Picture* How Cameras Choose an Exposure Chapter 14: How We Stay in Touch * How Your Smartphone Knows Where You Are* How Devices Recognize Our Touch* How Glass Becomes Strong and Supple* How Game Controllers Let You Play* How Game Controllers Let You Feel the Force* How Smartphones Get Good Vibrations* How Devices Capture Light* How a Flatbed Simplifies Scanning* How Codes Keep Track of Everything (Everything!) * How Optical Character Recognition Works Chapter 15: How a Computer Creates Visions * How an LCD Creates Glowing Colors* How Plamsa Displays Glow* How DLP Spins Colors* How OLED Lights Up a New Generation of Displays* How 3D Makes You Duck Chapter 16: How Computers Tickle Your Ears * How Your Device Listens* How Speakers Sound Off* How Digital Sound Tricks Your Ear* How 3D Audio Surrounds You Chapter 17: How Networks Tie Computers Together * How Computers Connect to Each Other* How Data Travels Between Computers* How Wi-Fi Makes the Internet Portable* How Bluetooth Keeps Devices Connected* How NFC Lets Smart Devices Make Close Calls Chapter 18: How the Internet Brings Us the World * How Broadband Crams in the Data* How DSL Turbocharges a Phone Line* How Cable Brings the Internet to Your Neighborhood* How Fiber Optics Lights Up the Future* How Computers Make Phone Calls* How Cellular Evolved* How Networks Talk with Each Other* How Information Travels the Internet* How Online Services Serenade You* How Movies Flow into Your Home Chapter 19: How the Web Puts It All at Your Fingertips * How a Browser Opens Pages* How a Browser Displays Web Pages* How Cookies Trade Crumbs of Data* How Google Knows Everything* How eBay Sells Everything Chapter 20: How We Keep in Touch the Internet Way * How Email Outraces Snail Mail* How Facebook Lets Your Cat Go Viral* How Twitter Changes Communication* How Internet File Sharing Works* How BitTorrents Spread the Wealth* How Clouds Encompass Us All Chapter 21: How Black and White Printing Works * How Printers Make Cookie Cutter Text* How Outline Fonts Set the Imagination Free* How a Printer Writes with Light Chapter 22: Printing Gutenberg Never Imagined * How Printers Create Color* Ho an Ink-jet Sprays Images* How a Printer Spits Out Photographs* How a Laser Printer Creates in Color* How a Solid Ink Color Printer Works* How Printers Create in 3D